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Talk:Morph Ball
Explanation Shouldn't we use some sort of explanation for how it actually works? Is there any? Are there any heavily-discussed fan theories we could put up? Darqlink51 02:24, 2 January 2008 (UTC) :I don't think we should put them up. However, I'm pretty sure that the Chozo blood transfusion has to do with it somehow. MarioGalaxy {talk/ / } 20:12, 2 January 2008 (UTC) If you read on other sites it says that the morph ball is the biggest mystery of the metroid games. In the Metroid Prime Titles, you can zoom in on samus in morph ball mode and all you see is what looks like a ball of energy. so people don't know how it works. If someone could find out that would help alot.... Navolas 17:57, 3 January 2008 (UTC) Offical artwork for metroid prime shows Samus in a fetal positon when inside the morph ball, so Samus obviously doesn't turn into a "Ball of energy" when inside. But just remember that the morph ball is about a meter in diameter; that's plenty of room for Samus to fit into. Armantula513 15:12, 4 July 2008 (UTC) But like you just said that's Art Work, made by fans, fans that are just like us, they(we) don't know the truth behind it and that is thier idea of how it is working. (the morph ball i mean). Piratehunter 15:26, 4 July 2008 (UTC) But those same fans made Metroid Prime. They obviously had a great deal of design collaboration & direction from the original Japanese developers, the people who know how the Morph Ball works; otherwise, Retro Studios wouldn't have made the game, because Nintendo is too reluctant to let someone take one of their key characters into a new zone without their supervision. (Ever since the travesty called "The Legend of Zelda: the Wand of Gamellon" on the Phillips application.)Armantula513 17:17, 4 July 2008 (UTC) In the Prime games you can see that she is pure energy when in the morph ball. I trust the games over the artwork. Metroidhunter32 15:08, 27 July 2008 (UTC) I am agreed with Metroidhunter. In the game she is obviously a ball of glowing energy, and in the artwork she is simply in a fetal position, two entirely diffrent things (fetal positions and ball o' energy). Both of them can't be right, so which one would you say is right the actual metroid games? Or fan-made artwork. I believe the games, personally. [[User:Piratehunter|''P''ir''a''te''h''un''t''er'']] 22:13, 27 July 2008 (UTC) My theory, is that it completely disassembles her (although the mind would be tricky), and stores data on her structure in the ball (while her mind pilots it), and reassembles after being deployed. The same way the beam transport in "Star Trek" works. That would explain why the Pirate version was a failure, probably since the reassemble didn't go as planned, or because the mind couldn't reassemble properly. Either that or it completely obliterates her (all but the mind) and the suit, and 'copies' it back together.-- 04:11, 6 August 2008 (UTC) Or mabye its just a video game! Samusiscool2 13:18, 15 September 2008 (UTC) As Armantula said the artwork is not fanmade, Retro Studios did it My theory is that not even Nintendo know how it works. They don't seem to really care too much about Metroid, I doubt they've thought every last thing through. Gaiacarra 20:35, 6 March 2009 (UTC) :That's a bit cynical. I'm sure that the character design directors & art directors have figured it out, (probably years ago, in the Super Metroid days,) but Nintendo as a whole (currently those big mean money-grubbers they are,) would have nothing to do with figuring out how it works. Saying that, Nintendo & its designers are not obligated to release any designs to the public at all, no matter how much we of the "hardcore clan" starve for them. [[User:Armantula513|Armantula''513']][ADMIN] (Talk• ) 22:32, 6 March 2009 (UTC) ::The Star Trek transporter theory makes a lot of sense to me, especially when the side effects of the Pirate's version of the system is considered. The transporter and the matter/energy conversions involved are extremely sensitive, and very minor problems ranging from power fluctuations, circuit burnouts, and operator error can lead to things ranging from transporter psychosis to extreme deformation and death. Oddly enough, the chief engineer in The Next Generation would describe the transporter as the "safest way to travel." --[[User:FastLizard4|'FastLizard4']]{ADMIN} (Talk• •Logs) 23:28, 5 April 2009 (UTC) I used to read the Animorphs book series when I was younger. The characters could transform into an arsenal of creatures and stored their excess body mass in "Zero-Space" (or "Z-Space"), which was also used for wormhole-styled space travel. They only went into that aspect of "morphing" a few times, but that is pretty much what I imagined. The books used to have a lot of Star Trek references, too... ChozoBoy (Talk/ ) 00:09, 6 April 2009 (UTC) Never thought of Z-space in conjunction with the morph ball before. Then again Z-space only played more than an explanatory role in one or two of the books. I suppose the matter moving in and out of this world/dimension I don't remember could be possible especially considering how advanced the Chozo are. Metroidhunter32 00:45, 6 April 2009 (UTC) "Matter-Compression" Morphball If none of you mind, I've been thinking for a while for about how the Morph Ball works, as have all of you. The most common theory here is: Samus is turned into energy. This is a likely possiblity but I personally think it's too complicated for these reasons: 1. The power to turn something into energy takes the power of 9 atomic bombs. That's a lot of power, though I guess if you are the most advanced civilization ever, I guess power is not that great of problem. 2. How would Samus remain alive, as energy? Turning her into energy would likely kill her. 3. Even if you know some way of keeping her alive and transforming her, the last problem, how do you put her back together? These problems, I feel, make the "turning into energy" explanation too unlikely to work with. So, now the question becomes: What's another way that Samus enters the Morph Ball? Luckily, I found another way that one could be shrunken down: Removing yourself empty space. 99% percent of our bodies are empty space, and if all the matter in our body were compressed, we would be smaller than the head of a pin. So, if we are compressed and rid ourselves of empty space, we become smaller, but still fully functional. This same concept is used in the classic movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and to a smaller extent in A Wrinkle in Time. So, how can we work this into a Morph Ball concept? Samus becomes shrunken down, and her armor molds into the shape of a ball. Then the mini-Samus inside manipulates the Morphball like one would maipulate a hamster ball! This made me laugh out loud when I thought of it, and I know it sounds completely ridiculous, but this currently how I believe a matter-compressed Morphball would work, though it still leaves open the questions of: How does Samus know what she's doing? How does she jump? and How does she lay Morphball Bombs? But it's a start. Any thoughts? User:Tuckerscreator 16:46 25 April 2009 Other than the last few lines, i particularly like this theory. Scientifically, a sphere is the most efficient way to fill a space, as there are no corners to fill, so the compression theory makes scientific sense. As for the jumping I'm not sure, but since the suit is organically based, the bombs maybe the suit acting defensively to its surroundings. Just a though. ~~GO! Samus! Use Ice Beam!!~~ : Well, in Star Trek, there's a slew of devices (pattern buffers, Heisenberg compensators, matter-transmission beam, energy containment beams) used to perform the conversion. Actually, you aren't really alive during transport - rather, you are made alive again when the beam puts you back together exactly as you were before "beaming." Actually, if it wasn't for the Heisenberg Improbability Principle (and the probability-based nature of quantum mechanics) and the fact that you would need several billion hard disk drives to store the 'pattern' of the subject being beamed, it is possible to be done - should you find the power to do it. Of course, in Star Trek, starships are all powered by two main sources - one or more cold-fusion "impulse" reactors, and the much more powerful controlled-antimatter/matter reaction-based "warp" reactors. And phaser weapons somehow have enough power so that with one the size of a 9mm handgun, you could vaporize a target several meters away (without recoil, nonetheless). I think the key here is that in fiction, pretty much any law of physics can be violated. And there's a problem with your theory of matter shrinking: Humans were not meant to be compressed - we contain empty space for a reason. --[[User:FastLizard4|'FastLizard4']]{ADMIN} (Talk• •Logs) 06:38, 26 April 2009 (UTC) Star Trek has never really been that great on science, like it's blatant disregard for the speed-of-light-barrier, but I think I see now how the device you described works. But the one problem I see with it is: When the person is reassebled, how do they retain their consciousness. Would the device only recreate their physical body but leave them an empty shell, because their soul went when their body was "destroyed"? Or does it copy their memories as well, so that they act the same as before, so one could argue that they are actually being cloned, rather than reassembled? One more thing: You said that humans require empty space to survive. Do you know what happens when their matter is compressed in the manner I described? What does it cause that kills them? User:Tuckerscreator 13:31 26 April 2009 : This isn't really relevant to how Samus becomes the Morph Ball in the way you described, but I think it is worth a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gGIyrmOsHg Fast forward the video to 1:30 and it shows the energy inside. Quite funny too. Hellkaiserryo12 20:42, 26 April 2009 (UTC) I just had a look at the aforementioned concept art piece. It shows Samus curling up into the fetal position inside a large ball, and the ball then shrinks. Multiple times. Since the game clearly shows energy in the cracks, and the art shows Samus disappearing once the ball starts to shrink, it's quite obvious how it works, even if it's physically improbable or even impossible. Scifi does that from time to time. Dazuro 20:46, 26 April 2009 (UTC) : All right, ir looks like Samus does turn into energy. My main concern however, is how does she remain alive and conscious while in such a form? The citations from Star Trek that FastLizard described are only to get from one place to another. How does one remain in the state for a prolonged time and still remain conscious? User:Tuckerscreator 1:55 26 April 2009 Again, dude. Chozo technology. :P Dazuro 20:57, 26 April 2009 (UTC) Gee, thanks.(sarcasm) Chozo get do all the cool stuff. And yet they can make this crazy thing and yet they can't even make a weapon that can actually kill a lowly bug in single shot.(I'm just joking.) User:Tuckerscreator 14:01 26 April 2009 Man, and I thought I overthought this stuff. At least I know where the line lies for suspension of disbelief... No offense intended, but seriously, some things aren't meant to have answers. The Chozo are high-tech. They convert her into energy and back. That's all we need to know. Dazuro 21:04, 26 April 2009 (UTC) :Well, to answer User:Tuckerscreator, subjects in transport are able to retain consciousness due to two important facts: The first is that the transporter beam "memorizes" the position, velocity, and direction (among the various parameters needed) of every atom in the subject being beamed (the "pattern"). Secondly, the entire human nervous system is driven by neurotransmitters and electrochemical interactions of sodium and potassium in relation to the axons of neurons. When potassium and sodium move out of or into the axon of a neuron, it generates an electrical pulse (the "action potential," for you biology students out there). So, if you were to correctly be reassembled, neurotransmitters would be where they were before beaming as would the potassium/sodium in the neurons, thus preserving the "state" of the entire nervous sytem. As a side note, warp drive as described by Star Trek is actually within the realm of physics - to the point that an equation from Einstein's theories of relativity describe the warping action used - but I won't go into that from here. --[[User:FastLizard4|'FastLizard4']]{ADMIN} (Talk• •Logs) 22:30, 26 April 2009 (UTC) Thanks, FastLizard. That explains the energy transformation thing. But I stillwould like to know the answer to: What when you compress the matter in a human body? User:Tuckerscreator 15:42 26 April 2009 :Oh, right. Well, we contain empty space as "padding" to protect our internal organs. Also, if you wanted to remove all of the empty space, things would be moved around in ways they probably shouldn't be. --[[User:FastLizard4|'FastLizard4']]{ADMIN} (Talk• •Logs) 22:55, 26 April 2009 (UTC) Although I also came to the "Star Trek" solution and find it to satisfy the requirements of common sense, there is another way that the morph-ball could operate: it could make use of the fourth spatial dimension. Basically, Samus (and probably some of the components of the suit as well, so that she can breate and control the Morph Ball) are moved "above" the regular 3D world we are all familliar with. Thye are still physically there and move through time just as we do, but from our perspective are completely unable to act on the world or be acted on by the world (I usually visualize this as getting in a plane and flying above the ground: you're still THERE, but the people on the ground can't see you or do anything to you (I know the people could look up, but it's just an analogy, kay?)). The Morph Ball probably provides some sort of "anchor", as well as a means of connecting the "hidden" parts of the suit to the ones in the ball. I especially like this theory because the energy and perhaps more importantly the processing power needed to move through the fourth dimension are infinitesimal compared to that needed to convert a human to energy, store the physical pattern, and reassemble them, and also because it explains how Samus can remain conscious throughout the process (as long as the suit can broadcast information to her through the dimensional link and back to control the technology in the ball). The only real problems I can think of (although I am sure there are some that I can't) deal with the fact that there might be... well, unknown "stuff" in whatever part of 4-D space Samus is sent to that could run into her. Either way, I am also convinced that whatever makes the Morph Ball work is also responsible for her suit's ability to appear and disappear into thin air.AdmiralSakai 20:36, March 25, 2010 (UTC) my theroy is, well when you get a morph ball item in prime, she jups and spins infinently (like a space jump) and the two halfs close in on her. the energy is probly just the blur of the visor and all the lights spinning so fast. 17:54, May 30, 2012 (UTC) Morph Ball Bot I have a new theory regarding Morph Ball. This theory is not about its function but rather regarding its existence. On every planet there has always been an abundance of Spinners, tunnels, Spider Ball Tracks, and Bomb switches, all compatible with the Morph Ball despite their different origins. My theory is that the reason why the Morph Ball can use them all equally is because those planets made use of a "all-purpose Morph Ball bot" that could curl up into a ball and perform all those functions. The Morph Ball upgrade that Samus receives in each game may even be an inert or offline bot that Samus is able to absorb into her suit for her own usage. The only problem I have with this theory is that this bot has never appeared ingame, and the drones on Elysia look nothing like a ball. At one point, I thought I had found it: the Violas and Multiviolas of Zero mission but Dazuro told me that those were really creatures, not robots. Any comments?--Tuckerscreator 16:05, 1 July 2009 (UTC) The theory seems plausible. It might explain bomb slots...or maybe, like the pirates, people carry around giant steel balls.--[[User:DekutullaZM|'''''Deku]][[User talk:DekutullaZM|''tulla]] 00:42, December 4, 2009 (UTC) The Luminoth's Harmony and Dilligence Drones are spherical robots that always reminded me of Violas... and I recall there actually being an Elysian drone that looks like a ball and another that drops energy balls.--AdmiralSakai 20:44, March 25, 2010 (UTC) Well I have been thinking alot about the slots and tracks and such. Alot of the upgrades (namely in the 2-D series) are collected from Chozo statues holding a spherical object. I think maybe these are keys, or some sort of data collection and sharing spherical "harddrive". Maybe they are used to compile data and share it with the rest of the Federation. As the Metroid Manga states, Zebes, mainly Tourian, was more or less the heart of the Federation, a place where troops came to gather. All in all, I really think there is a strong connection there.''Go! Samus! Use Ice Beam!! ^.^ SA-X Returns'' 01:45, March 20, 2013 (UTC) Isn't the Viola an instrument? Oh, wait, no, the metroid viola is that fireball thing in norfair. But yes, the viola and multiviola are creatures, not robots. [[User:The Silver Spoon|''The'' Silver'' Spoon]] Can I get a side of fries with that? In trivia, ''"The Morph Ball is featured in the Burger King toy Metroid Challenge, where the ball is controlled through a maze with a magnetic Wii Remote." Is a little magnetic ball considered a Morph Ball... Just Wondering... ^_^ ① for Log Book. (User:mp3c) 18:30, September 3, 2011 (UTC) In that specific toy, it is. 06:44, September 4, 2011 (UTC) I found a way by using the spring jump to get to Phendrana Drifts early on Prime 1. You can skip the Varia suit by using this method as well. (But it can only be done on the Trilogy Version LOL) DarkMetroids 9:40 2/1/12 i think she is in a fetal position and the energy is an electromagnetic sheild around the exposed part of her ball in which the magnetic spider ball system works. makes sense xD 14:33, March 24, 2012 (UTC) Japanese I'm putting this here because I don't know where else it could go, and the existance of the alternative "Maru Mari" translation makes it most obvious here: All of the Japanese text in parentheses in the page intros appears to be an approximation of the English name of the subject using sounds native to the Japanese language (sometimes with an ending added on), not actual translations. I'd remove them outright, but my understanding of Japanese is next to nonexistant, so maybe it's just a freakish coincidence that all of them sound like the English versions? Is there anyone left here who knows more? "My name is [[User:AdmiralSakai|'AdmiralSakai']], and I approve this message." 13:58, April 15, 2012 (UTC) gif .]] Can anyone just see if the gif i just added to the appearances section is working? it isn't playing on my laptop in the article. [[User:Hellkaiserryo12|Hell''Kaiserryo12]]ADMIN] (Talk• ) 18:29, June 25, 2012 (UTC) Sure does. Sylux X 20:08, June 25, 2012 (UTC) :Thankya. [[User:Hellkaiserryo12|''Hell''Kaiserryo12]]ADMIN] (Talk• ) 20:54, June 25, 2012 (UTC) I wonder if Samus can do this in the Zero Suit? Silvery2 (talk) 13:02, June 14, 2015 (UTC)